TheOneBigWills take on T.N.A. Destination X; March 15th, 2009:
1. Six Knockout Tag Team Contest: The Beautiful People v. Roxxi, The Governor & Taylor Wilde:
Not a bad, which each individual knockout getting her fair share in the match. In complete honesty, this was a contest that isnt going to be remembered very well, because outside of the feud between Velvet Sky & Angelina Love, against The Governor prank, its just not important. In the end, the newest Beautiful Person, Madison Rayne, takes the loss from Taylor Wilde.
In my opinion, the Beautiful People shouldve won here. Taylor Wilde, Roxxi & The Governor have no build, no future, and roughly nothing to fight for other than air-time. Velvet Sky, Angelina Love and even the newest Knockout, Rayne, all have more to fight for.. And having the newest Knockout take the loss, was a mistake in my opinion.
Winners: Roxxi, The Governor & Taylor Wilde
2. Brutus Magnus Open Challenge:
No less than 3 days ago, on iMPACT! You have Eric Young protest and literally pitch a half way decent promo to Sting, about how he wants to be the future of the company. How he wants to be the guy that gets more chance to shine, more time to show everyone hes worth something other than a joke.. And then you job him to a guy, that hasnt been made to look even remotely important since the last Pay per view, when he debuted this stupid challenge to begin with.
Magnus finisher is a basic twisting Death Valley Driver, if even that. It looks like a fucked up Firemans carry. Either way, he hit it off the middle rope, and pinned Eric Young cleanly. Im totally confused as to why theyd even take the opening to mildly push Young as someone Sting could put faith into, only to job him to a guy thatll likely not make it on the roster through the full year.
Winner: Brutus Magnus
In-Ring Promo: Sheik Abdul Bashir:
Whos idea was it to attempt involving every single mid-carder, who wasnt already involved in a match, on the card? This is the number one thing T.N.A. takes heat for, and theyre still doing it. The entire first hour of this Pay per view, was all more or less unscripted and un-promoted stuff.
So Bashir comes out and almost breaks down in tears, basically for no other reason that hes finally upset that he gets treated like a Terrorist. (hmm, I wonder why. No fucking way it has ANYTHING to do with how you play off your character, Saddam.) The complete irony of everything, is Jim Cornette and some smuck Soldier come out and more or less say the reason Bashir isnt being used anymore, is because plain and simply, Cornette doesnt like him. (Way to not show any favortism, or biased-ness)
The wannabe Soldier was told to sing Bashir to the locker room, and for someone so proud to be a U.S. Soldier, it didnt sound like he even knew the words. The fans werent helping too much, because they didnt know the words either.
3. Match of 10,000 Tacs: Abyss v. Matt Morgan:
Anyone NOT believing Abyss wouldnt be the individual taking the tacs bump isnt too familiar with how these programs work. The sad thing is, they claimed to have tacs set-up all around ringside, and yet only roughly 3 bags get brought into play in a pile in the ring. (That NEVER get used, I might add)
The match spills to the outside, where Abyss has to apparently do everything himself, as he set up the two large table-based tacs. (aka - the ending bump) The brawl goes up the ramp way, where Morgan is called a coward for running off by Tenay, only for West to defend him. And in the end, its Morgan hitting his bicycle kick on Abyss, which sets him through the badly placed tables, and into the tacs. (overall, the match was just horrible to watch, and the ending didnt justify the lameness that proceeded it) Im only going to assume well get a round 3 between these two, inside 6-Sides of Steel.
Winner: Matt Morgan
One Night w/ O.D.B. Finals:
If its not randomly trying to add all their talent into every single show, its adding too many stupid promos, that have truly no place at all. So roughly put, a Business Exc., a Redneck, and Shark boy are the 3 finalists who have a chance to spend the night with O.D.B.
They get put through a small series of tests, including explaining what theyd do, and dancing. In the end, Shark Boy and the Business man are told to hit the bricks, as O.D.B. picked the Redneck, after he told her he had something else on his body, longer than his mullet.
4. Knockouts Championship: Awesome Kong © v. Sojournor Bolt:
Im almost pretty sure I said this match was going to prove to be better than what people expected, and that was largely in part because no one was expecting anything out of this match. Well, I was right.
It wasnt pretty, it definitely wasnt great, but as far as female matches go, it wasnt horrible. So-Jo missed a couple moves, including trying to spring up and behind Kong, at which she botched, only for Kong to stand behind her and play it off by just cocking her head as if to say Bitch, what the fuck did you think your fat ass was going to do?!
In the end, Kong picks up the victory, after reversing what I believe was an attempted hurricanrana, into a Kong-Bomb. I actually liked that much of the match, and not just because it signaled the ending, either. Kong retains, as if there was ever any doubt. Saeed gave (in my opinion) a slight, (very slight) hint that she could be the next to challenge, as she patted the Championship, instead of Kong, and kinda kept staring at the belt after the match was over.
Winner: Awesome Kong
5. Scott Steiner v. Samoa Joe:
Either Scott Steiner bladed himself before he even walked down the aisle, or Samoa Joe really does have thick feet, because Steiner was busted open, merely from Joe kicking Steiner in the head. (dispite not actually kicking the top of his head, which was where the cut was) The entire match was Joe being dominate, and Steiner being played off as intimidated.
In the end, Joe went nuts and took out the Official, then another, then continued to beat the shit out of Steiner. This continued onto another segment later on, in which Joe looked like he just came from a pig-pen, covered in mud and shit. (Complete w/ blood on his new knife) Joe claims that when they find Steiner, theyll know a bit more about the Nation of Violence. So apparently, Joe raped and left Steiner for dead. And hes a face??
My personal favorite was Don West stating that Steiner didnt deserve that, only for Tenay to actually DEFEND having someone raped and left for dead in saying Hey, he knew what he was getting himself into, he knew Joe was nuts, and he knew he had this coming. (I wonder if he could be a defense lawyer for a convicted rapist)
Winner by DQ: Scott Steiner (By the way, YES, Scott Steiner was literally awarded the victory.. Over the returning Samoa Joe. NICE)
6. T.N.A. Legends Championship: Booker T. © v. A.J. Styles:
Not the match I was hoping for, but still better than a lot of the rest. It seemed kinda boring throughout, until the ending moments when Booker missed a Scissors Kick, only to get drilled with the Pele, then later on dropped with the Styles Clash and Sharmell just stood outside the ring, watching as Booker was pinned and defeated.
It should be noted that this match seemed almost TOO easy for A.J. to just win and make history that easily. Sharmell and Booker had a meeting w/ Cornette earlier in the night, about the contract being illegal because Sharmell didnt agree to it, and shes Bookers business manager or some shit. So I could see iMPACT! Coming around and Styles being stripped of the title, with all history of him winning it, also being taken away.
I definitely see a return match between these two, unless a Lethal Lockdown match has them both involved. Which I also see possible.
Winner & NEW Legends Champion: A.J. Styles
7. Off the Wagon Challenge/Tag Team Championships: Beer Money, Inc. v. Team 3D:
Again, not the match Id expected, but Bubba and D-Von arent exactly the same duo they were years ago. Storm had his leg heavily wrapped and Im unsure what that was all about. They didnt play off any type of injury, so I truly have no clue.
The match originally had Team 3D setting up to hit a 3-D, only for Storm to crack Bubba with a chair and warrant the Disqualification. Cornette came out, claimed that wasnt how it was gonna end, and restarted the match until No DQ rules. This lasted about literally 5 minutes longer, if even that long, before Roode grabbed Storm out of the ring, having Don West hand them their titles, and the Champs took off to the back, getting counted out. (With Cornette apparently believing he couldnt just re-restart the match, again)
After all was said and done, Tenay bitched West out, to Team 3D, who tried bullying West by saying what he did was bullshit. I found this funny, considering Tenay wouldve done the same fucking thing, had he had Beer Money, Inc DEMANDING he get their Tag titles. West was only saving his own ass, and got ratted out for it.
Winners by Countout: Team 3D
8. Ultimate X/X-Division Championship: Alex Shelley © v. Chris Sabin v. Jay Lethal v. Consequences Creed v. Suicide:
Best match of the night. And the funniest part to all of that, Suicide spent the large majority of it either outside the ring, or getting beaten up inside the ring.
Shelley and Sabin worked together, while Lethal & Creed worked together. It was a glorified Tag match, with Lethal at one point almost (literally) tossing Creed to victory. A lot of nice spots, and the Pay per view is worth this match, alone.
In the end though, it was the predictable Suicide, who climbed up the ring-set-up, and leaped (ala Christopher Daniels from like a year or so ago
) to knock Shelley, Lethal & Creed all off the ropes, and take the Championship.
Winner & New Ultimate X Champion: Suicide (Im curious if Christopher Daniels would dare take the Suicide mask off, showing everyone its him and playing off that being the only way he could comeback since he was fired like two years ago) Itd be more interesting than to continue with this Suicide crap.
9. T.N.A. Championship: Sting © v. Kurt Angle: (Special Referee: Jeff Jarrett, Special Enforcer: Mick Foley)
I seriously have NO clue why Mick Foley was even out at ringside, except to have a small part in the match that clearly sets-up for a Foley/Sting showdown at Lockdown.
Nice match, great work between the two. It wasnt too much of a long match, and Jarrett played fairly and called everything straight down the middle. Foley, again, didnt do much of anything other than at one point get slightly in Angles face, demanding he get back in the ring. (dispite all he was doing, was catching his breath)
In the end, a series of clusterfucks and near-finishes had the fans getting rowdy. Foley accidentally drilled Sting with a chair, only for Jarrett to recover from being taken out accidentally from an Angle clothesline and count 2. This caused Angle to spit in Jarretts face, which caused Jarrett to punch Angle backwards into a Scorpion Death Drop for the victory.
Winner: Sting
In the end, it was Foley and Sting having a small conversation. (about Foleys fuck up, no doubt) While Angle was bitching at Jarrett, backing himself up the ramp to end the show.
Overall Thoughts:
All in all, it was exactly what I felt it would be. A, by leaps and bounds, much better T.N.A. Pay per view than theyve put on all year to this point.(Which isnt saying much, at all, but still)
I was slightly confused by some of the decisions made by the company, such as why Eric Young lost, why Foley was even in the Main Event when M.E.M. never even made an appearance at ringside, to even slightly distract anyone, and why Suicide is seriously getting a run with the Ultimate X title.
Team 3D will win the Tag Team Championships before its all said and done, Im all but almost sure of this. Their careers with T.N.A. were in more danger a year or so back, then they ever were in this Off the Wagon Challenge. The only thing that wouldve made the match more predictable/interesting wouldve been changing the challenge to more or less.. If you do NOT win the titles, youre both fired. Then have them do constant run-ins, as free agent Wrestlers.
Someone mentioned Kong needing another fans challenge because I suppose more or less that person felt she no longer had anymore challengers. Sadly, I think whoever said that, was right. Outside of Saeed, or at most more re-runs with Wilde, Roxxi, O.D.B. or anyone else, Kong has single handedly went through the entire Knockouts division.. Dominately. Saeed is it. I hope it happens.
I get very much so why Styles won the Legends title, but now that he has it.. Whats he gonna do with it? Because since its debut, it seems more like a Million Dollar title than an actual legit defendable title. Ya know? I can see Styles rematching to Booker, only to lose. But what exactly would that do? Any way you build it, I just cant see the Legends title being worth anything right now. Its not credible like the X-Division, yet no where near big enough to be a Heavyweight title. So its like T.N.A.s version of the European title?!
As it stands, the build-up for Lockdown looks to be Foley v. Sting, with Jarrett v. Angle. Ill admit, Im interested.. But Angle/Jarrett has been done a couple times within 6 months now, so its not like a 3rd major Pay per view match between them is worth it. Lethal Lockdown will allow multiple others to join, but at most that means roughly; Jarrett, Styles & Joe against Angle, Booker & Steiner. (or Nash, depending on his injury) Itd be good, but not great. And filling those 6 into one match, only opens the flood gates for tons of useless pure shit matches to be put on the card.
In the end,
I felt Destination X was a solid 7 out of 10. It was worth watching again, because of the final 2 hours. Or maybe final hour and a half.
